Task Force 'Hammerhead' wraps up aviation rotations to National Training Center

Photo By Master Sgt. Tyrone Marshall | Twin UH-60L Blackhawk helicopters from Task Force "Hammerhead," 25th Combat Aviation Brigade , settle down in the Rotational Field Unit Maintenance Area at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. following a mission, Oct. 25, 2008.  

UNITED STATES

11.07.2008

Story by Staff Sgt. Tyrone Marshall 

25th Combat Aviation Brigade

By Staff Sgt. Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

FORT IRWIN, Calif. – With a final whirl, a UH-60L Blackhawk helicopter comes to rest at the Southern California Logistical Airport, signaling the culmination of 30 of the toughest days of Army training around.

Task Force "Hammerhead," led by Lt. Col. Gregory Baker, commander, 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, spearheaded the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade's final National Training Center rotation. TF Hammerhead, comprised of elements of all three of the 25th CAB's battalions and its headquarters company, provided critical air support, command and control, and other aviation functionalities to units within the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas.

"We had a multitude of training objectives – conduct air assault operations, conduct air movement operations, conduct command and control, conduct medium lift operations ... in the process we were able to cover all our base METL tasks," explained the task force commander.

One of the many feats the task force was able to accomplish was providing continuous and seamless air support to the "Iron Horse" Brigade.

"I was amazed at our ability to maintain helicopters especially after three rotations. That's something that we focused hard on," revealed Baker. "We sent a lot of guys out here early to set conditions for the aircraft with task force maintenance and the gathering of the 2-25th, 2-6th, 209th and the 3-25th elements all under one company headquarters. They did an amazing job on supporting launch and recover launch operations. There was never a time when I had a mission in doubt. In fact, we had more aircraft available than pilots. I think that let us fly as many hours as we flew. We haven't completed our roll-up, but we're approaching 1,500 hours for the rotation."

Always forward-thinking, Baker, who has been to NTC seven times and served as an Observer-Controller for 32 NTC rotations, also kept a keen eye for invaluable lessons learned during his task force's most recent rotation.

"There are tons of lessons learned on this rotation. I think the last three rotations in a row are going to be a great benefit for the brigade. I know coming back here in March, those commanders and staff members that were here will be able to take the lessons learned here and re-apply them and get even better as we prepare for our next trip down range."

He continued, "For the Soldiers of Task Force 'Hammerhead' and those families at home, this rotation was not a good rotation but a great rotation. From all the feedback from the leadership here at NTC, the OCs, commander of operations group, to the [commanding general] of Fort Irwin, even to a couple of the [Opposition Force] guys that I ran into ... as an aviation task force we threw them off balance. They had to react to us, because we were inside their patterns and decision-making process. They couldn't figure out our patterns and it caused them to change their scheme maneuvers which is exactly what we wanted to do."

Not lost was pride in the ability to help the "Iron Horse" Brigade train and prepare for the rigors of combat as they get ready to roll out for their upcoming deployment.

"I've got some fantastic feedback from the battalions and squadron in [1st BCT, 1st Cav.] I know we gave them a training experience that their brigade commander had in his commander's objectives," said Baker. "That was one of our primary mission objectives. We're going to help train [1st BCT, 1st Cav.] to go down range. And we succeeded. We succeeded because our Soldiers did a great job."

• Date Taken: 11.07.2008
• Date Posted: 11.08.2008 00:02
• Story ID: 26080
• Location: US